Wedding Dress for Body Type

First, based on these photos you have an awesome figure. I think the dress you're wearing in the first picture has lots of the characteristics that are most flattering on someone with broader shoulders: a narrow, fitted waist; a full/flared skirt; and a v-neck. The only thing I think would make the blue dress better would be wider shoulder straps; the way they cut in tends to accentuate your shoulders, rather than make them less noticeable. If I were you, I'd start by looking at sleeveless (but with wider shoulder straps), v-neck, aline or ballgowns. I'd avoid strapless, halter, and off-the-shoulder dresses, as they'll all draw attention to your shoulders and potentially make them look more broad. A more full skirt helps balance your shoulders, where a narrow-fitting dress would likely make shoulders look broader. (I understand where you're coming from. Daughter was involved in a sport that resulted in really developing her back and shoulders. She looked gorgeous and very feminine in a dress similar to what I've described.) Good luck!

First off, let me say that you're super gorgeous. Second, LOVE your confidence in your body and curves/butt, we should all spend more time complimenting our good qualities than critiquing our not so good qualities.

ANYWAYS to actually answer your question, I think you could definitely rock a mermaid style dress! Some of them do look a little restrictive in terms of mobility, but the couple that I've tried on didn't make me feel like it was hard to move around in. But if you're looking for flowy and not heavy, A-line may be more up your alley!

I'm also kinda self conscious about my arms and the broadness of my shoulders. I found that a halter top style dress made me feel a lot better about my shoulder width than a strapless dress, but I didn't ultimately end up getting one. I love the dress I chose so much that I don't even think about how my shoulders/arms may look

Thank you so much! I was looking at some v-neck fit-and-flare dresses so I think we're on the same page there! How wide do you think the straps should be? Should they cover most of the shoulder?

Hi Kara! My cousin's wedding dress was like that and I tried it on and liked the shape of it, but it was extremely heavy. Did yours feel heavy?

Hi Amber! Thank you! The one thing I know for sure is that I don't want a strapless dress! I hadn't even thought about a halter top. Does it put much weight on the neck? I'm hoping once I start trying on dresses I'll have that "yes" moment! Otherwise I'll definitely overthink it!

I thought that a halter top would put a lot of weight on my neck, but I was surprised that I barely noticed it. The dress I tried on really hugged my waist and my hips, so the dress was staying up on it's own without the help of the halter.

Also don't put too much pressure on yourself to have that "yes" moment! It may not happen right away and it's really easy to get discouraged. I ended up settling on a dress I wasn't in love with because I was convinced I'd never find one I loved. The best dress shopping advise I can give is if you're not absolutely sure you've found a dress you love, SLEEP ON IT. You can always go back and buy it if you feel confident in your choice, but otherwise you'll end up with a dress you don't love and more than likely buy another one (lots of dress shops are very particular with return policies)

Best of luck to you, I'm sure you'll find a beautiful dress!

Thank you for the advice!

I actually have a similar build. I've always been thicker through the shoulder area but I have literally no boobs. When I tried on gowns, I found that really thick straps made my shoulders look even bigger and I felt bulky in general. Strapless was the same. For a July wedding I wouldn't do long sleeves so I'd recommend trying something with a similar neckline. Best of luck!! Keep us updated on what you chooseDress

Wow! That's a stunning dress! I do like the thinner straps. Do they dig into your skin at all with the weight of the dress?

I don't think they have to be super-wide -- it's really about the visual line they create and maintaining the visual balance of your perfect figure. In the photos of you in the blue dress, when the straps cut in toward your neck, that makes your shoulders more noticeable. In the third picture, in the black top, notice how the armholes/shoulders are more "straight up" and make your shoulders/upper arms less of the focus? (Compare that with the middle picture with the sharp angle to your neck; your arms and shoulders are more of the focus.) Daughter's dress actually had very thin straps, but they were further out on her shoulders; overall, she looked very thin and balanced. Please don't get me wrong. Personally, I think you have gorgeous upper arm and shoulder development, and many women (me included) would kill for your muscle-tone and definition, so I am NOT critiquing, but I think your "perfect dress silhouette" will visually balance all your physical characteristics.

That's a great way of thinking of it! I tend to focus in on one area at a time instead of looking at the big picture.

That's Gorgeous!

You have already been given a lot of great advice on this thread, but I thought I would share pictures of my dress as well since I have a similar body type as you. I have broad shoulders and an athletic build so I chose v-neck and fit and flair - I always prefer dresses with a defined waist. I also did not want my dress to be too heavy so I chose a style with lots of tulle and it is very flowy.

Best of look searching!